Simple Honey Dijon Salmon and Sweet Potato Fries

Thank you for your kind words on my Monday from h-e-double-hockey-sticks. Yesterday, as expected, was a much, much better day…great, even!

I was running a bit late in the morning (are you seeing a pattern here? I blame Parenthood on the DVR), but still managed to get to campus plenty early.

I joined the new gym (Mr. P, too!) near our house and attended a Step and Sculpt class last night. Someone under the age of 30 probably shouldn’t be sooo excited over the thought of step aerobics, but shamelessly, I am (if I didn’t fear the harsh judgements from strangers, I would probably wear leg warmers to class…once I located some).

The step portion was a breeze…it was my lack of balance and strength in the second half of the class that had me struggling. You know you had a good workout when the turn of a steering wheel feels like the continuation of the workout. And let’s not even talk about the added effort needed to just wash my hair. Killer workout.

And one more piece of good news that I will share…soonish! Promise!

So yeah, it took two days, but I’m back in the groove. Five days off can take a toll on a person…seriously. And while Thanksgiving has come and gone, you can’t miss out on some of the joys of the cooler months…like the humble sweet potato. Especially when in the form of fries. Baked, naturally.

For this entire meal, I went based on instinct. *gasp* (I know.) Generally, that’s a scary, scary no-good thing. Nine times out of ten, that results in take-out or cereal for dinner. But hey, we all have our moments of glory. This was one of mine. 😀

The sweet potato fries were perfectly sweet and spicy with the traditional hint of cinnamon. I’d like to think the cayenne was unique.

The salmon was a complete shot in the dark. I was feeling lazy, so I went with equal amounts of honey, dijon, and lemon juice. It worked…really, really well. And rather than a side salad, I slid the salmon filet on a bed of arugula, drizzled the remaining dijon-honey-lemon mixture over the top and…voila.

Result: So simple, so good. I always have these ingredients on hand and the flavors balance perfectly. I am always looking for new ways to make salmon and serving this over a bed of arugula that wilts just slightly from the heat of the salmon was perfect (coming from the girl who hates hot, wilted lettuce). Enjoy!

Result: Sweet with a bit of spice! The only warning I have with sweet potato fries is that they don’t get quite as crispy as those made with a russet potato. The best thing to do it cut them really thin if you’re looking for a crispy fry. Since I don’t dip my sweet potato fries in anything (i.e. ketchup), I enjoy the texture just fine. Simple to make and kid and family-friendly! Enjoy!

Oh man… I’d totally rock out the leg warmers!!!
I’m yet to do a class at my gym. It’s a little intimidating, given my lack of coordination. Waiting for a time when I can go to the gym and know the classes will be a little lighter (aka the days I took off around christmas break).

This is my idea of a perfect meal! Salmon + arugula + sweet potato… yum! I love step class too! I took it for a while last winter to change things up. It actually helped maintain my running even though I didn’t put in many miles over the winter.

I made this last night and it was amazing! I loved the honey/lemon/mustard flavors together. My husband doesn’t love sweet potatoes but thought the oven fries were pretty good. I will definitely be making this again and again and again!! I’m going to use honey/lemon/mustard mixture as a salad dressing too.

Haha, I love this: “You know you had a good workout when the turn of a steering wheel feels like the continuation of the workout” I know exactly what you mean. Last time I had that I was putting away dishes in the cupboard above my head. What a workout, LOL. Anyways, I’m not a huge fan of salmon(I know it’s so good for me so I try! :D), although yours does look delicious, but those sweet potato fries look really delicious. I usually add sweet spices like cinnamon, or spicy spices like chili powder but I love that you used paprika. That sounds delicious, especially with the cinnamon. I’m curious to try that out next time I make fries 😀

This dinner looks just incredible. For some reason, I order fish when eating out but don’t feel that comfortable cooking it at home. This recipe looks like a simple one I could master.
Dont you just love/hate those workouts that leave you in so much pain, even simple tasks hurt!!!

I have leg warmer and LOVE them! I wear them in my house all the time 🙂 maybe I’ll get silly sometime and wear them when I teach :). Can’t wait to hear your exciting news!

And this entire meals sounds just perfect Nicole! I have plans to make salmon salad this week and will definitely use your simple marinade. Love that I have all the ingredients on hand. Sweet potato fries=heaven

Great looking meal. This is definitely one I need to try in the future (when Ryan is not on night shift). Hope things are going a little more smoothly. I agree those long weekends can through things off when you try and get back into the routine when it ends. One thing I love about vacations is that we walk. Ryan and I walk where ever we can so that helps. In fact, while in Tokyo this past weekend I must have been doing more stairs or hills than usual because I woke up one morning and was really sore. I was a little pleased actually. But I know it is different when visiting home for holidays because then there is never time to fit in workouts, at least I never find time. But regular vacations turn in to a walking fest for us.